


bedtime stories

by soymirukuu



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hope's Peak Academy (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Character Study, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, POV Saihara Shuichi, Pre-Relationship, Sad Oma Kokichi, actually i don't mind it in other people's works but not in my work, also of course i make the bedtime story 'the boy who cried wolf', and i don't need more reasons to take my own writing as a joke LMAO, because oma is used to call grandmas in my native language, i mean it's not really obvious but that's what i was thinking of as i wrote, it's Ouma not Oma, it's only implied but definitely there, lowkey?? i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23593864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soymirukuu/pseuds/soymirukuu
Summary: "Saihara-chan, read a bedtime story for me!""H-huh?""Read me a bedtime story!" Ouma repeated without falter. He turned to Shuichi with a wide grin on his face."But… it's only ten in the morning. And our recess ends in twenty minutes.""I don't care! I'm feeling a little tired now, and the only way to fix that is a good power nap! But I can't fall asleep without a bedtime story first."Shuichi somehow doubted that, but with the way Ouma was beaming at him, he couldn't find it in himself to refuse.
Relationships: Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 116





	bedtime stories

**Author's Note:**

> i really don't know what to say, quarrantine literally made me write 2k words of saiouma  
> QUARRANTINE MADE ME PLAY NDRV3 IN THE FIRST PLACE
> 
> also, i use honorifics because i am a giant weeb and i love using 'saihara-chan' too much. i debated between using just their first names or using honorifics and the latter is what i went with. btw it's only mentioned like once here but shuichi refers to kaito by his first name,,, bcs kaito actually calls shuichi by his first name in the jp dub and i like to think shuichi would do the same, once he gets used to it
> 
> kokichi was incredibly fun to write!!! but it was also intimidating bcs i wanted him to open up (in his own, convoluted kokichi ouma way lol), but also keep him in character,,, god i hope i didn't make him ooc or over woobify him or anything, he's a very interesting and flawed character and one of my top favs from all of the dr games
> 
> GAH IM SORRY THIS IS SO LONG AND CONFUSING,,,, enjoy!

Shuichi couldn't, and probably won't ever be able to claim that he completely understood Ouma.

Every instance he had spent together with him always lead to him discovering something new about the boy, a single grain of truth buried within all the lies― only to take two steps backwards whenever Ouma deemed it appropriate to voice out a new prank he had recently planned as a means to change the subject, or claiming he had gotten bored before bolting towards the nearest exit faster than Shuichi's head could process. He'd recognized this pattern after seeing it multiple times now.

It oddly reminded him of stray cats he'd found on the road before, the ones who have never received any sort of affection, cautious around even the most well-intentioned humans. Shuichi would approach them with cat treats in hand, only to be hissed at when he attempted to approach them.

...Perhaps Ouma just wasn't used to opening up to others?

That's the logical conclusion he came up with to explain Ouma's strange behaviour, and despite not having irrefutable proof, it made too much sense to be disregarded completely―

"―Earth to Saihara-chan?" a familiar voice rang out, putting his train of thought to an abrupt stop. He shifted his attention to the source of the voice. Ouma was right across from him, leaning against the library wall, sipping on the boba tea Shuichi gave him earlier. 

Right. He decided to spend his morning recess with Ouma, who all but dragged him from class to the library almost immediately. Which was slightly unusual, because Shuichi couldn't recall ever going to the library together with him before.

"What, was I boring you? If you're just gonna ignore me, why bother asking me out in the first place?" he said, shooting a glare at Shuichi. 

"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to do that. I just… got caught up in my own thoughts. Sorry, Ouma-kun," Shuichi rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"You just apologized twice, y'know. Besides, sorry doesn't cut it!" Ouma huffed. As if to emphasize his point, he set down his drink to cross his arms and pointedly looked away. 

Judging by that reaction, Shuichi recognized that the best course of action would be to concede and give him what he wanted; Ouma could be very stubborn sometimes, almost to a fault. This was a large part why he and Kaito butted heads so frequently― both were too headstrong to back down and too opinionated to even consider the idea of agreeing to disagree. 

"Alright… how do I make it up to you, then?"

"Hmm. How, huh..." tapping a finger to his chin, Ouma paused, looking around the dusty and cluttered mess that was the library. 

It was much better than before he and Kaede decided to organize the room, but even then there were still piles and piles of books lying on the floor. Even the chairs were occupied by stacks of thick tomes, which meant that they had no choice but to sit on the floor. Not to mention the cobwebs that draped over the corners of the wooden shelves. Maybe he could ask some advice on cleaning up from Tojo later, but she'd probably decide to take matters into her own hands if he ever mentioned it to her.

"Saihara-chan, read a bedtime story for me!"

"H-huh?"

"Read me a bedtime story!" Ouma repeated without falter. He turned to Shuichi with a wide grin on his face.

"But… it's only ten in the morning. And our recess ends in twenty minutes."

"I don't care! I'm feeling a _little_ tired now, and the only way to fix that is a good power nap! But I can't fall asleep without a bedtime story first."

Shuichi somehow doubted that, but with the way Ouma was beaming at him, he couldn't find it in himself to refuse. 

"Okay, then… What do you want me to read?"

Ouma skipped his way to the bookshelves, grabbed a book from one of the neatly lined rows and skipped back to him.

"Here! I just took one that seemed short," he said, handing it over to Shuichi before sitting next to him. Shuichi scanned the book thoroughly; he still hadn't forgotten the little fiasco that involved Ouma, Kiibo and an… indecent DVD disguised (apparently very convincingly) as a documentary film. While he wasn't there to witness it personally, after Kaito had filled him in on what happened, he was more than glad he was absent on that very day.

However, the book in his hands looked innocent enough, with a cartoonish cover depicting a colourful scene of a young boy surrounded by a flock of sheep, blissfully unaware of the wolf that hid within nearby shrubbery. The title read _The Boy Who Cried Wolf._ He flipped it around to read the summary, but the other side only had the same boy drawn on it, now alone and crying.

"C'mon, open it up already!" Ouma whined, leaning towards Shuichi to peer at the book. 

"Alright, alright," he sighed, though more amused than exasperated, and cracked the book open. 

Shuichi cleared his throat and began.

**_Once upon a time in a small village, there lived a young boy. He was a shepherd, and every day he went with his sheep to a nearby hill, where the flock could wander around and graze to their heart's content. Every day consisted of the same old routine, repeated over and over and over again._ **

**_One day, without anything to do besides tend to the sheep, the boy came up with an idea. He would shout for help, and all the villagers would come running to his rescue. Imagining the look on their faces when they realize they had been tricked, the boy grinned._ **

"I like the way he thinks," Ouma chuckled. Shuichi spared him a glance; the other boy was now leaning on Shuichi, his eyes closed. He had no idea when Ouma had shifted closer to him, but the weight was somehow... comfortable, so he decided not to point it out. 

Without a word, Shuichi returned his gaze back to the page.

**_And so he shouted, "Help! Help! A wolf is attacking my flock!"_ **

**_Just like he planned, the other villagers came running to him with weapons in hand. "Where is the wolf?"_ **

**_"Ha! You all fell for it," the boy laughed. The villagers were annoyed that they fell to his trickery, but at least no real harm had come to him. They all went home for the day._ **

**_The next day, the boy headed off for the hill with his flock. Once again he grew bored, and once again he thought to do the same thing._ **

**_The boy cried out, "Help! Help! My poor sheep are being eaten by a big, scary wolf!"_ **

**_And once again, the villagers all rush to him, carrying their weapons. "Where is it?"_ **

**_"You all fell for it twice!" the boy laughed._ **

**_The villagers were now angry. They silently swore never to come and help the boy when he cries out again._ **

**_The very next day, when the boy went to the hill with his sheep, there was a large wolf wandering around. Noticing the flock, the wolf decides to hide in a nearby bush so he can ambush them and finally fill his hungry belly._ **

**_When the boy was about to sit on the grass, the wolf jumped out and sank his teeth into one of his sheep. The boy yelped and scrambled as far as he could from the beast._ **

**_"Help! Help! My poor little sheep is being eaten by a wolf!"_ **

**_He cried out, again and again, but no one came. Realizing that help wasn't coming, the boy ran back to his house as fast as he could, terrified and alone._ **

That's the last of all the pages, and Shuichi closed the book. 

"What a boring ending," Ouma yawned, stretching his arms and moving away from Shuichi. "The other villagers didn't come to help in the end. Isn’t that just terrible?"

He brushed some of the dust lying on the book's cover away. "Well, it makes sense, doesn't it? He kept lying to them, so they didn't trust him anymore, even if he was telling the truth."

Ouma paused mid-stretch. 

Shuichi could sense that the air had just changed. The quiet shifted from familiar and pleasant to tense, almost stifling even. 

After a few beats of silence, Ouma laughed. It bore no resemblance to any of the cheerful giggles or mischievous chuckles that Shuichi had grown fond of; it sounded dry and hollow, almost monotone.

"He should've realized that was going to happen from the very beginning," he smiled. "All the good liars know that."

The smile looked strained, and didn’t quite reach his eyes. There was a hint of knowing bitterness to those words as they echoed within the quiet that blanketed the library. Shuichi’s mouth opened and closed with all the grace of a fish out of water as he desperately rummaged the contents of his brain for something to say. Ouma rose and brushed the dust from his knees. 

But he didn't walk away. He stood there, his back turned on Shuichi. Ouma had a small frame to begin with, but looking at him now, he seemed smaller than ever; maybe it was his sagged shoulders, or maybe it was the way his fingers were absentmindedly fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

This situation was something Shuichi did not anticipate. Unease bubbled in the pit of his stomach, churning within his gut― he had no idea what to say, he had no idea what to do, but he knew he _had to do something._

So before Ouma could flee like he usually did, before trepidation could fully take over Shuichi's body and leave him paralyzed, he stood up, walked over to Ouma and…

...started petting his head.

This is what his instincts chose to do. Shuichi was more than baffled by himself. 

But despite the turbulent thoughts that ran amok in his head, screaming _this was a terrible idea Shuichi Saihara what the hell are you doing_ , his hands kept stroking Ouma's head gently, his fingers kept running through the soft purple strands. The other boy was facing away, so he couldn't properly look at Ouma's reaction. At the very least he didn't swat his hand away, or outright showed any signs of discomfort.

The silence was almost unbearable (it took all of Shuichi's will power not to visibly squirm) until a small voice finally, _finally_ shattered it to pieces.

"...Saihara-chan, what are you doing?" 

"I ,ah, I'm not sure myself."

More quiet. Probably Ouma's way of telling him 'wow, that was one crappy explanation' without actually saying it out loud. 

He let out a shaky breath he didn't even realize he had been holding. "It's just that, you looked… sad. Lonely. And to be honest, I don't know what to say. I didn't even know what to do, so I went with my instincts, and this… this is the result, I guess. And honestly, Ouma-kun? I don't understand why you keep lying."

Shuichi more felt, rather than saw Ouma flinch.

"I don't know why you do it. But when you lie so frequently, even when there's nothing to gain from it, then you must have your own reasons. Maybe lies are just easier, more comfortable for you. I don't know. They're still not good, but I can tell you don't have any real ill intent behind them."

He paused for a moment.

"And I think it's a bit unfair that the others― that _we_ demand you to change, so abruptly, what's probably a large part of who you are. We… we could have tried to understand a little better. Nobody should be left alone."

Shuichi fumbled through some of the words. He wasn’t even sure what he really wanted to say, but hopefully Ouma could at least sense his sincerity, despite the uncertainty in his voice. 

Quiet returned to the library once more. Somewhere along the way his hand had stopped moving altogether, and was now resting on top of Ouma’s head― until he yanked it away in surprise when Ouma abruptly turned around.

He looked at Shuichi with a blank, unreadable face, and Shuichi had to fight to keep himself from looking away as Ouma stared directly into his eyes, as if he was trying to peer into his thoughts.

“Um… Ouma-kun?” 

That seemed to snap him out of it, and his face immediately broke into a wide grin. “Just kidding, Saihara-chan! I got you good, huh? Of course, if anyone would fall for that little act, it would be nobody but Mister Detective over here! Y’know, for a someone who's supposed to be _sooo_ smart, you sure are pretty gullible!”

“H-huh?”

“That was just one of my ploys to get closer to you and make you fall in love with me!” Ouma stepped backwards, inching closer to the library’s door. His grin only seemed to grow wider when he noticed Shuichi’s bewildered look. “That was a lie, of course. Or maybe not. Who knows? I'm not even sure myself.”

“...Whatever you say, Ouma-kun,” Shuichi muttered, casting his eyes downward onto the library’s tiled floors. He was certain that the Kokichi Ouma he just saw was genuine, _because Shuichi knew that wasn’t something you could just act out_ , but maybe it had only been one of his more elaborate lies. Maybe Ouma was just trying to make a fool out of him. It didn’t matter. Shuichi had said what he wanted to say. He had offered his hand; if Ouma didn’t want to accept it, then there was nothing he could do.

“...Hey, Saihara-chan?”

Shuichi shifted his attention back to Ouma. His hand was reaching towards the exit, ready to move the sliding door open, but there was the slightest twitch of hesitation to his fingers.

He glanced back, and instead of the sly smirk Shuichi had expected, an impassive look stood in its place. “I never said being gullible was bad.”

And with that, he went out, sliding the door shut. 

Shuichi stared at the spot where Ouma had been standing, vaguely registering the footsteps that slowly faded away into the background. 

With a sigh, he covered his face with his hand. That had… certainly been an unexpected turn of events.

Yet, despite all that, a small smile bloomed on his face. Yes, he may be unable to truly understand Ouma now. But what he just saw allowed a little seed of hope to grow within him. Shuichi had reached out his hand, and even if Ouma didn’t accept it immediately, he would keep reaching out until Ouma could take his hand without uncertainty or hesitation.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> i was originally planning for kokichi to actually say 'thank you' at the end but then i was like. this is kokichi ouma we're talking about no way he's gonna outright thank shuichi
> 
> so i made him express his gratitude in the most roundabout, what-are-you-trying-to-say way i could possibly write. bcs kokichi
> 
> ANYWAYS writing this was really fun!! turns out even a half baked idea you came up with at 12 AM while scrolling through twitter could be (hopefully? i think??) somewhat decent if you try hard enough :")


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